Mawasim: 20 Years of Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art

Marie-Claire is a Specialist in the Post-War & Contemporary Art department at Christie’s based between UK and UAE. She is passionate about discovering and promoting emerging and overlooked artists with a particular interest in artists from the Middle East and North Africa. In her role as Head of Sale for Modern & Contemporary Middle Eastern Art, she has contributed to the growth of the category and has helped to give it a contemporary and international profile through successful auctions and private selling exhibitions in London, Dubai and Paris. Marie-Claire grew up in the Netherlands and speaks fluent Dutch and English, conversational French, and is learning Arabic. Marie-Claire attended Amsterdam University College and holds a BA with a double major in International Relations and Economics and a minor in Art History. She moved to London to complete a MA in Art Business and joined Christie’s in 2015. In the Post-War & Contemporary Department in London she has been working across the Evening, Day and Online sales, gaining a breadth of knowledge of the art market and playing a pivotal role in the consignment and successful sale of various single owner collections including the Jeremy Lancaster Collection, the Le Jeune Collection and most recently the Dalloul Art Collection.

Marie-Claire grew up in the Netherlands and speaks fluent Dutch and English, conversational French, and is learning Arabic. Marie-Claire attended Amsterdam University College and holds a BA with a double major in International Relations and Economics and a minor in Art History. She moved to London to complete a MA in Art Business and joined Christie’s in 2015. In the Post-War & Contemporary Department in London she has been working across the Evening, Day and Online sales, gaining a breadth of knowledge of the art market and playing a pivotal role in the consignment and successful sale of various single owner collections including the Jeremy Lancaster Collection, the Le Jeune Collection and most recently the Dalloul Art Collection.

Kanon Ida is the Cataloguer in the Post-War and Contemporary Art Department at Christie’s, specialising in Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art. She joined Christie’s in 2023, bringing with her a breadth of experience from leading institutions including the Guggenheim Museum, the Venice Biennale, and other international auction houses.

Prior to her current position, Kanon was a Client Liaison & Researcher in the Chairman’s Office EMEA and Sale Coordinator in the Modern & Contemporary Middle Eastern Art department, where she successfully managed auctions, private sales, and exhibitions across London and Dubai.

She holds a degree in History of Art from The Courtauld Institute of Art, with a specialisation in Contemporary Art and is fluent in Italian, Japanese, and English; conversant in French; and is currently studying Arabic and Mandarin.

Lara Abu Dahab is a Sale Coordinator in the Post-War and Contemporary Art Department at Christie’s, specialising in Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art. Based in London, she joined Christie’s in 2025 as a Research Intern, where she contributed valuable insights drawn from her academic research and curatorial interests, particularly with relation to the Middle East and North Africa.

Lara holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Literary Studies from New York University - Abu Dhabi and a Master of Letters in Art History from the University of St Andrews, with a focus on sustainable museology and decolonial practices. She brings to her role extensive experience in archival research, cataloguing, logistics, and project management.

Fluent in Arabic and English, and conversant in Italian, Lara continues to explore the intersections of regional perspectives within the contemporary art market.